This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from an application for Portable Computer With Adapter Unit Provided With Outer Cooling Fan earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Dec. 1, 1998 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 53002/1998.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable computer with a cooling device and, more particularly to a portable computer with a power adapter unit provided with a cooling fan external, but adjacent, to the main housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable computers must be small, light, and sturdy yet have as large a data storage capacity as possible within the limits of these restrictions. The big obstacle to achieving this goal is the heat generated by the computer components. Various methods of cooling by ventilation have been attempted. A variable speed fan has been used, the speed of which varies with the temperature. It has also been proposed to provide air flow in a modular housing each containing modular electronic components by causing the fan to operate at a higher speed if the temperature in any of the modular compartments exceeds a threshold temperature.
As mentioned above, various cooling methods are proposed and attempted, but the restrictive space of the portable computer has a limitation of the capacity of cooling. And the process of assembling many cooling devices in a restricted narrow space causes a lower production efficiency. Furthermore, recently the increasing heat according to the increasing speed of the CPU exceeds the limit of the cooling capacity of the earlier cooling device using the internal cooling fan and heat sink.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,298 for a Portable Computer With Selectively Operable Cooling Unit to Cathey discloses a portable computer that has both a cooling unit and an external AC to DC converter to power said portable computer. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 show an active cooling unit, which may be a cooling fan, located inside portable computer. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 of Cathy ""298 show a cooling system external to the portable computer but the cooling system operates under the principles of using a liquid cooling fluid, such as Freon. In contradistinction, what is needed is a detachable unit for an electronic device such as a portable computer that 1) provides AC to DC power conversion, and 2) cools the interior of the computer hardware by forcibly drawing air through the hardware containing interior of the electrical device to keep the electronic components cool. This detachable unit connects to an opening found in the sidewall of the electronic device. The opening in the electronic device opens and closes depending on whether the detachable unit is connected to the electronic device. Adjacent to the opening is a DC power connector that supplies DC voltage to the electronic device when the detachable unit is connected to the opening in the electronic device so that the detachable device simultaneously 1) provides DC voltage to the electronic device, and 2) keeps the electrical hardware internal to the electronic device cool by forced convection of air by using a fan.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable electronic device capable of drawing heated air remaining in the portable electronic device out of a main housing of the portable electronic device regardless of a size of the internal space of the portable electronic device.
It is another object to provide an adapter unit attached an electronic device and capable of drawing heated air in the electronic device out of the electronic device.
It is yet another object to provide an electronic device having a detachable cooling fan located external, but adjacent to the main housing of the electronic device to keep internal electrical components in the main housing of the electronic device from overheating.
It is still yet another object to provide a unit that attaches to the main housing of an electronic device to force an air current through the main housing of the housing of the electronic device while converting AC power into DC power for use by said electronic device.
In order to attain the above objects, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adapter unit converting AC voltage into DC voltage and supplying the DC voltage with an electronic device, including: an input terminal for receiving the AC voltage; a voltage-transformation member for converting the AC voltage into the DC voltage; an output terminal for supplying the DC voltage of the voltage-transformation member to the electronic device; and a ventilation member attached to the electronic device, wherein the ventilation member induces air-circulation inside the electronic device, and wherein the output terminal and the ventilation member are integrated and electrically connected with the electronic device.
In the adapter unit according to the invention, the ventilation member includes a housing having a surface and an internal space; at least one opening formed on the surface of the housing, wherein air enters through the at least one opening; and a fan provided for the housing, wherein the fan discharges air from an inside of electronic device to outside of the same through at least one opening when the output terminal is connected with the electronic device. Furthermore, in the adapter unit, the ventilation member further includes a switch capable of operating the fan.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a portable electronic device operated by a battery or a power adapter, including: a housing incorporating a plurality of electronic units, wherein the housing has a opening formed on a surface of the housing and a connector disposed at an adjacent portion of the opening portion of the housing to be connected with the electronic units; and an adapter unit supplying power with the electronic units through the connector and drawing air within the housing through the opening.
In the portable electronic device according to the invention, the adapter unit includes an input terminal for receiving AC voltage; a voltage-transformation member for converting the AC voltage into DC voltage; a ventilation member connected with the voltage-transformation member through a cable and attached to the surface of the housing formed the opening to induce air-circulation inside the housing; and an output terminal integrated with the ventilation member and coupled to the connector to supply the DC voltage from the voltage-transformation member with the electronic circuit units.
Furthermore, in the portable electronic device, the ventilation member includes a ventilation housing having a surface and an internal space; a ventilation opening formed on the surface of the ventilation housing, wherein air within the housing is passed the opening of the housing and drawn into the ventilation housing through the ventilation opening; and a fan provided for the ventilation housing, wherein the fan draws and discharges air from the inside of the housing to the outside of the ventilation housing through the ventilation opening when the output terminal is connected with the connector.
Still furthermore in the portable electronic device, the housing further includes a opening door provided at an adjacent portion of the opening, wherein the opening is closed by the opening door when the ventilation member is separated from the surface of the housing provided with the opening whereas the opening is open by the movement of the opening door when the ventilation member is attached to the surface of the housing to induce air-circulation of the inside of the housing.
Still furthermore in the portable electronic device, the adapter unit includes an input terminal for receiving AC voltage; a main body having a surface and provided with a voltage-transformation member for converting the AC voltage into DC voltage. an output terminal provided at the surface of the main body and coupled to the connector to supply the DC voltage from the voltage-transformation member with the electronic units; a ventilation opening formed on the surface of the main body, wherein air within the housing is passed the opening of the housing and drawn into the main body through the ventilation opening; and a fan provided for the main body, wherein the fan draws and discharges air from the inside of the housing to the outside of the main body through the ventilation opening when the output terminal is connected with the connector.